Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image pickup apparatuses, image pickup systems, methods for controlling the image pickup apparatuses, methods for controlling the image pickup systems, and programs. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique of superimposing information representing an image or the like on a captured image.
Description of the Related Art
In general, a function of superimposing superimposition information such as a certain character and a certain graphic on a certain position of an image has been widely used. For example, an On Screen Display (hereinafter referred to as “OSD” where appropriate) function or the like of displaying an OSD image in a fixed position in an image has been widely used.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-163258 discloses visual equipment which outputs control command data for the OSD to an interface cable and visual equipment which receives the control command data output to the interface cable.
An amount of superimposition information input to an apparatus having the superimposing function may be large or small. Therefore, when an amount of superimposition information is too large, the superimposition information may not be set to the apparatus. Even if the superimposition information may be set to the apparatus, it is not necessarily the case that the entire superimposition information is superimposed on an image.
For example, a user may not set a character string of 30 characters to an apparatus which allows a setting of a character string having at most 16 characters. Even in a case where a character string of 16 characters may be set to the apparatus, if a size of an image is too small, it is not necessarily the case that all the character string having the 16 characters is superimposed on the image.
Specifically, the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus, an external apparatus, an image pickup system, a method for controlling the image pickup apparatus, a method for controlling the external apparatus, a method for controlling the image pickup system, and a program which are capable of appropriately superimposing superimposition information on an image in accordance with an amount of the superimposition information.